Tianhuang nobleman

The matter of Qi Hua and that maid spread like wildfire, the emperor was going to be mad with anger, he wished he could eat Qi Hua and that girl raw, but he knew in his heart that let alone eating them raw, even if they were cooked alive It will only make the rumors worse.

The emperor's original intention was to secretly execute those who knew the scandal, and tried his best to suppress the matter, so he did not discuss it with his close officials after the incident, but now that the trouble has been known to the world, it is useless to hide it anymore, the emperor A few of the most trusted ministers were announced to enter the palace, and the monarchs and ministers discussed the countermeasures together.

The emperor rubbed the center of his brows wearily, and said in a low voice: "You probably know why I called you here, so let's talk about it, what is the rumor going on outside?"

The minister hesitated and said in a low voice: "Back to the emperor, the folk rumors are very bad, and they all say it is..."

The emperor smiled coldly: "You said that I am licentious and immoral, I am learning from Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, and I want my daughter-in-law, right?"

The minister paused and nodded and said: "What's more, there are still some people who spread a little tune, although they didn't say it clearly, but they used the old things in the past to insinuate the Holy Majesty."

The emperor sneered: "So there are other things besides Tang Xuanzong? What are the old things? Let's hear it."

The minister sighed: "Xintai accepts a daughter-in-law."

The emperor held his breath in his chest and almost vomited blood on the spot. Several ministers saw the emperor's complexion and knelt down to persuade him: "The dragon's body is important, the emperor must not get angry, let's think about how to deal with it first..."

The emperor tried his best to suppress the monstrous anger in his chest, and said after a long while: "Everyone get up..."

The other minister showed hesitation, and said in a deep voice: "I dare to ask what happened yesterday. I don't want to hide it from the emperor. Now there are all kinds of things outside, and the ministers and others know a little bit together, and they don't know what happened. If you don’t know what’s going on, the ministers need to know what’s going on before they can figure out how to deal with it.”

The emperor gritted his teeth and told what happened before. After hearing this, the first minister frowned and said in a low voice: "This matter is clearly the second prince's fault... Your Majesty's forgiveness, it is the fault of the second prince, why are all the rumors outside against him?" What about His Majesty's?"

The emperor sneered: "I also can't figure out how the person the empress prepared for me became Qi Hua's sweetheart. After listening to those rumors, the two are still in love with each other. It's me who wants to win people's love."

"The rumors spread so quickly, there must be someone intentionally pointing the finger at the Holy One, why?" The minister said slowly, "Your Majesty, my lord, does this matter have something to do with the Feng family? After all... In this case, it can be regarded as picking out the second prince."

The minister next to him shook his head quickly when he heard the words: "It's not like... The Feng family is not so courageous, and this is just to make those people who don't know the truth feel that the second prince is innocent. The emperor will not forgive the second prince because of this. What's the use? Besides It's something that can be suppressed, but the Feng family wants to make it public? It's too much sacrifice."

"Then... is it possible that it's the crown prince?" The minister looked carefully at the emperor's expression, "Or maybe it's Princess Dunsu?"

"I dare you... The empress also knows about this, and the empress has a deep love for her..."

"Princess Dexin was also there at that time..."

The ministers in the palace talked a lot, pulled out all the people who knew the matter and analyzed it in detail, although everyone was suspected, but everyone had enough reasons not to do it, and after a messy analysis for half a day, they still couldn't come up with a conclusion. After confirming the result, the emperor was upset and scolded in a cold voice: "There is no evidence, what's the use of arguing about this?! First investigate secretly, peel off the cocoons, and slowly follow the source to find the mastermind behind the scenes. The most important thing now is How to solve this incident!"

The old minister who didn't speak for a long time stepped forward and bowed slowly: "The emperor calmed down, now...but it's hard to deal with the second prince and the maid. Everyone thought it was the emperor who took the love with a sword. Thunder's Wrath blamed the two of them, which inevitably echoed the previous rumors. According to my humble opinion, the emperor might as well simply give the maid to the second prince. Without prior notice, he just said that this is an ordinary female official next to the empress. The second prince took a fancy to it at first glance, so it became a matter, that's all."

Before the old minister finished speaking, the minister next to him quickly shook his head: "This is not comprehensive. Many people in the palace know that the maid is dedicated to the emperor by the empress, and there were those royal relatives in the palace yesterday. How can this be concealed?"

The old minister turned his head to look at the minister, and said indifferently: "Is it more important to stop the mouths of the world, or is it more important to stop the mouths of those royal relatives?"

The minister was dumb, and the old minister continued: "The emperor's attitude is now. Those who know the past will naturally know what to say and what not to say. It will take some time for such rumors to be dispelled. It is always better to make the rumors stronger, this method is not comprehensive, but it is more appropriate... the old minister can't think of it."

The emperor sighed and nodded: "That's it."

Everyone continued to polish according to the old minister's thinking, and discussed every detail. The emperor did not speak for a long time, and said in a deep voice for a long time: "When this matter subsides... I will investigate it immediately, and I must find out... Who is it?" Much ado about nothing!"

In the prince's mansion outside the palace, Qi Xiao closed the door and retreated from the crowd, lowered his voice and said coldly: "The rumors outside...are you spreading it?"

Bai Ren pursed his thin lips slightly, and nodded slightly.

Qi Xiao was extremely angry, trying his best to suppress the idea of ​​fighting with Bai Ren, and gritted his teeth: "You don't want to die, do you? Who do you think you are?! As long as the emperor finds out that you did it, he can directly take you Fate! Don't look at him protecting you everywhere, if you really touch his pain, even if you go to war with Lingnan, he will be the first to take care of you!"

Bai Ren shook his head: "He couldn't find it... The people who worked for me had already left the city, and by the time the emperor found out, they had probably returned to Lingnan, and the emperor couldn't find anything. "

Qi Xiao frowned. He went out of the palace with Bai Ren this morning. He went to supervise the Ministry of Rites to take care of the next year's affairs. Bai Ren went back to the Lingnan Palace to offer incense to his ancestors. That is to say... Bai Ren was released early in the morning. news.

Qi Xiao looked at Bai Ren in disbelief: "I've already taken care of Qi Hua, what are you still dissatisfied with? Why risk it and do it again?!"

Bai Ren raised his head to look at Qi Xiao, and said sternly: "The second prince once humiliated me, although the wound on my neck has healed...but I still remember what happened before."

Qi Xiao felt incredible, and laughed: "Didn't I avenge you?! Because of the Maoer Hutong incident, Qi Hua suddenly lost his emperor's heart and couldn't get up for half a year. What else do you want?!"

"It was the prince who punished him. I owe him the favor of the prince, but I didn't do it after all." Bai Ren said with a little stubbornness in his tone, "Even if we don't talk about the previous things, just talk about this time, the prince ... I already know that this incident was aimed at me, and those two girls... were originally reserved by Empress Feng to deal with me."

Qi Xiao was dumbfounded. It was the first time he understood what it meant to shoot himself in the foot. He instructed Jiang Deqing to reveal the past to Bai Ren, not for the sake of Bai Ren's revenge...

Looking at Bairen's angry eyes, Qi Xiao thought of what Princess Dunsu said to him before... No matter what the situation is, Bairen is the heir of the Lingnan Prince. Let him free his hand, he will never let himself suffer.

Qi Xiao laughed back angrily: "His Royal Highness is really brave... Hehe, His Royal Highness..." Qi Xiao took a step forward, pushed Bai Ren to the wall, lowered his head slightly and stared firmly into Bai Ren's eyes : "I have humiliated you, and I have plotted against you, but I would like to ask His Royal Highness, when His Royal Highness's wings are full enough, how do you plan to pay back what Gu has done to His Royal Highness in the past six months? Hmm ?”

Bai Ren was stunned for a moment, a flash of grievance flashed in his eyes, he turned his head and didn't answer, Qi Xiao sneered: "Speak, let Gu have a preparation, is it going to let me go to the mountain of swords, or go to the frying pan? "

Bai Ren lowered his head angrily and refused to look at Qi Xiao's face. He accidentally glanced at the jade ring that Qi Xiao had been wearing around his waist, his eyes turned red instantly, and he said in a hoarse voice, "You think I want to harm you? Daoshan... in the oil pan? The one who died must be me!"

Bai Ren has always been used to forbearance, if Qi Xiao talked to him softly as usual, Bai Ren would have said what he was thinking in his heart, but today Qi Xiao came up with harsh words, and Bai Ren talked all the time He was stuck in his heart if he didn't want to say anything, now he heard Qi Xiao's words "up the knife mountain and down the oil pot", he felt extremely uncomfortable, he grabbed the jade ring around Qi Xiao's waist, and broke away from Qi Xiao desperately and was about to go out.

"It's against you!" Qi Xiao originally only had three points of anger, but now he was aroused by Bai Ren's anger, and Bai Ren took advantage of him because he didn't pay attention to it. Bai Ren pulled him back, and his subordinates lost all importance. He picked him up and threw him on the bed, snatched the jade from his hand and smiled mockingly, "What? You don't want to give it to me? Who do you want to give it to?"

Bai Ren was furious, he got up and wanted to grab him, but he was really thin and had no strength, so he was subdued in a few strokes, Qi Xiao tore off the bed curtain and tore it into several strips and tied him up tightly , Bai Ren was furious: "Qi Xiao! How dare you!"

"Why am I afraid?!" Qi Xiao said to himself over and over again when he brought the man over, don't really get angry, just scare him a few words to let him know the seriousness, but he didn't expect the always docile Bai Ren today It's biting too, Qi Xiao has never been a good-tempered person, and Bai Ren's repeated words against him made him angry, let alone Bai Ren wanted to take back the jade ring!

This jade ring was given to Bairen by Princess Lingnan, and Bairen told himself repeatedly that even if it is smashed, it is not allowed to be given to others. , probably to be passed on to the future concubine, Qi Xiao accepted this affection, but never thought that Bai Ren would want to take it back!

Qi Xiao tried his best to suppress the overwhelming anger in his heart, he was afraid that his temper would hurt Bai Ren, so he simply tied him up to prevent him from making him angry, opened the door and went out to put out the fire.

Jiang Deqing has been guarding outside the bedroom door, and his heart has been raised in his throat when he heard the movement just now, and when he saw Qi Xiao coming out, he quickly bowed and smiled: "Prince, calm down, the prince is still a child, there are some inappropriate words, Please take care of the prince, don't get red-eyed in a moment and really hurt people, don't you still feel sorry for yourself in the end?"

Qi Xiao sneered, and walked forward, Jiang Deqing hurriedly followed, bowed and said: "Your Highness knows the son's heart, he understands it in his heart, but he can't say it out of his mouth, His Highness has always been able to take care of it, why can't he not today?" ?”

Qi Xiao stopped, paused, handed the jade ring that he had been clutching in his hand to Jiang Deqing, and said coldly: "Go find some old gentlemen who know how to do it, and show me what this thing means. ...", it is best used to confirm love, otherwise...

Qi Xiao closed his eyes, went to the front study room, and went outside to find someone to spread the rumors to Feng's family, no matter what, no one could find Bai Ren.

When it was time to wake up, Jiang Deqing came back holding the jade ring, Qi Xiao glanced at him and said indifferently: "Is it clear for people to see?"

Jiang Deqing nodded and sighed: "It's amazing... The old slave only thought that the jade was engraved with Sanskrit, and asked a few gentlemen to explain it, but they couldn't recognize it. In the end, Shunzi went to a pawn shop in the academy alley. The 80-year-old old man in the village, after asking him, he realized that the words on it are not Sanskrit, but spells, and this is not a jade pendant. I heard from the old man that... this thing is called a fate talisman."

Qi Xiao was stunned for a moment: "Fate talisman?"

Jiang Deqing nodded and continued: "This is not something from our side. The old man said that this thing originally came from southern Xinjiang. It is an ancient relic from the previous dynasty. It is rare now. The so-called fate talisman means..."

Jiang Deqing looked up at Qi Xiao, and smiled wryly: "The fate talisman means to take orders on behalf of the king, and to use life for life."

"Didn't Your Highness say that this was originally given to the son by the Princess of Lingnan? Then it's easy to understand. The princess is eager to protect the son, so she wants to give the life talisman to the son, thinking that if something happens in the future, she will bear all the hardships for the son. , the crown prince refused to wear it because he was filial, but the crown prince gave it to His Highness... Does Your Highness still not understand what this means?"

Jiang Deqing sighed: "The old man said... the lives of two people will be linked together after giving away and wearing one. His Royal Highness... is taking his life for His Highness. Hey... Actually, this old slave has never believed it." These, but I heard from the old gentleman that the people in southern Xinjiang are very convinced..."

Qi Xiao took a deep breath. Bai Ren had told him before that if one day he didn't like it, he couldn't give it to others even if he smashed it up. He was afraid that he would unintentionally take his life for others...

I was still teasing him at the time, asking him why he didn't wear it before, since it was for safety, Bai Ren smiled and said nothing at that time, Qi Xiao thought that this was just Bai Ren's rhetoric, and the jade ring was actually for his sweetheart...

Qi Xiao's throat was a little hoarse, and he just asked Bai Ren if he wanted to go up the knife mountain and down the frying pan by himself, but Bai Ren said that if that was the case, he must be the one who died first...

Qi Xiao understood everything in an instant.

I didn't think about it wrong at first, this is the token of love that Bai Ren gave to himself, but the tokens of love that others give are treasures, but what Bai Ren gave to himself is his own life.

Qi Xiao's eyes were red, he took the jade ring, pushed the door open and went all the way to the bedroom under the heavy snow...